Are you experiencing chronic knee pain that affects your daily life, work, or leisure activities? You’re not alone. Countless people worldwide suffer from knee problems that can be resolved through various treatments.
While non-surgical treatments such as medications, physiotherapy, and lifestyle modifications can help in most cases, joint replacement surgery or joint replacement may be necessary when the knee joint gets severely damaged.
Let’s discuss some indicators for knee replacements to help you understand when surgery is necessary.
What are Knee Replacements?
A knee replacement, also known as knee arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure that replaces a damaged, worn, or diseased knee joint or its part with an artificial joint. This procedure aims to relieve pain, restore function, and improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from severe knee problems.
What do Knee Replacements Entail?
The knee replacement procedure typically involves several steps:
Preoperative Preparation
Before the surgery, your surgeon will review your medical history, conduct a physical examination, and order imaging tests like X-rays or MRI to understand the extent of damage to your knee. You may also need to stop taking certain medications and ensure you are in the best possible health before the procedure.
Anesthesia
On the day of the surgery, you’ll be given anesthesia – either general (you’re asleep for the whole surgery) or spinal/epidural (you’re awake but numb from the waist down).
The Surgery
Once you’re under anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision in the front of your knee to access the joint. The damaged parts of your knee joint are then removed from the surface of the bones.
The surfaces are then shaped to hold a metal or plastic artificial joint. The artificial joint is attached to the thigh bone, shin, and kneecap either with cement or a special material that allows your bone to bond with the artificial joint over time. Once the joint is in place, the surgeon closes the incision with stitches or staples.
Recovery
After the surgery, you’ll be moved to a recovery room where the medical team will monitor you as your anesthesia wears off. You’ll likely be encouraged to move your foot and ankle to increase blood flow in your leg.
Physical therapy usually starts the day after surgery and continues until you can walk and perform other activities.
Recovery times can vary, but most people can resume normal activities within six weeks of surgery. Full recovery can take up to three months or longer, depending on factors like your overall health and commitment to rehabilitation.
Indications for Knee Replacements
Knowing when surgery is necessary can be tricky. Here are some common indications:
Intense Pain That Does Not respond to Non-surgical Treatments
One of the main indications for knee replacement surgery is intense chronic pain that interferes with your daily life. If your knee pain is keeping you from doing the things that you love and is not alleviated by non-surgical treatments, knee replacement surgery may be the next step.
These non-surgical treatments include medications, activity modification, bracing, physical therapy, and viscosupplementation, among others.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and it’s often associated with aging. The condition occurs when the cartilage that cushions your joint wears off, causing the bones to rub against each other.
Osteoarthritis often affects the weight-bearing joints, such as the knee, resulting in pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. While medication, weight loss, and exercise can help alleviate the symptoms, a knee replacement may be the only option for some people when the joint becomes severely damaged.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect multiple joints in the body. It’s an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the synovium, which is the lining of the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis often causes intense pain, swelling, and deformity in affected joints, including the knee. While medications can help manage symptoms, surgery may be necessary when joint damage becomes extensive.
Trauma to Knee Joint
Knee joint trauma can result from accidents, sports injuries, or overuse. Such traumas can lead to tears, fractures, or dislocations, which can be severe enough to require surgical intervention. In some cases, the damage from the trauma may be irreversible, necessitating a knee replacement.
Congenital Abnormalities of Knee
Some people may be born with knee joint abnormalities that cause them pain or limit their mobility. Congenital abnormalities such as dysplasia, which is a faulty formation of the knee joint, or osteochondritis dissecans, which involves the disruption of blood supply to the bone underlying the joint’s cartilage, may require surgical intervention when non-surgical treatments have failed.
Knee Replacements in Fort Lauderdale, FL
If you’re experiencing severe knee pain or disability, it may be time to consider a knee replacement. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Paul Meli, has helped thousands of patients regain mobility and reduce pain through knee replacement surgery.
To schedule a consultation with our knee surgeon for a comprehensive evaluation, call us today at (954) 234-7711 or fill out our online appointment request form. We look forward to serving you!
